Brown Signs Bill To Overhaul Enterprise Zone Program

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed legislation to overhaul a controversial tax break for companies that hire workers in low-income communities. Ben Adler has more from Sacramento on that and some of the other bills Brown signed today.

The state has been spending $750 million a year on the “Enterprise Zone” program. The governor has criticized it as ineffective and has pushed for the legislation he signed at an event in San Diego. Now, that money will instead be used for other tax breaks – such as sales tax exemptions on manufacturing, research and development equipment.

Brown has also signed the labor contract with the state’s largest public employees union into law. The deal ratified by both the state legislature and SEIU Local 1000's membership includes a 4.5 percent pay raise by July 2015.

And the governor signed a bill that would create an additional health care option for the “working poor.” It’s known as the “Bridge Plan” and is the final measure passed in the special legislative session on health care Brown called earlier this year.